Your mother was wrong - you CAN get your Sunday clothes muddy. (Image by Zazoosh)

Running is in our blood. Back in caveman days, we actually relied on running to survive. Our manly Neanderthal men would get up early in the morning, gather in packs and work together to chase down dinner.

Literally – they’d chase dinner. Since cavemen hadn’t evolved to higher intelligence yet, they weren’t aware that there were easier ways to get meat for dinner, like slingshots, guns and OmahaSteaks.com. So off they went, chasing their prey for hours (and even days) over rugged terrain, fending off obstacles along the way. Once their prey was tired, they’d pounce on it and make the kill, celebrating with chest bumps, manly-men grunts and beer.

Meanwhile, the caveladies would stay at home, birthin’ babies, watching “Real Housewives of Giku Ukmo” and wondering when their hubbies were going to bring home some damn food.

Though we no longer rely on running for sustenance, one thing hasn’t changed: the challenge of running through difficult terrain laden with obstacles is incredibly appealing to the modern male. Mud runs, such as Muddy Buddy and Spartan Race have exploded in popularity over the past few years.

The purpose of running through obstacles isn’t the only thing that’s changed, though – it’s the demographics, too. Though mud run events are largely male-dominated, women want to get in on the action, too.

I’ve wanted to do a mud run for the past few years now, but have never been able to work up the nerve. I’d like to think I’m a pretty tough broad, but every time I attend a mud run, the whole event reeks of more testosterone than I can handle.

At one race, I was cheering on a female friend who maybe tops the scales at 110 pounds. She was crossing an obstacle course when a drunken frat boy three times her size came up from behind and body-checked her. She was left face-down in the mud while he ran off screaming something about “bros before hos”.

I suppose some men haven’t evolved to higher intelligence yet. Stupid cavemen.

The whole experience left me nervous to enter a mud run. But then, as if my Neanderthal sistas were looking down on me from above, I got an offer I couldn’t refuse!

Kiss Me Dirty is a mud run series by women, for women. The event promises all the challenges (and then some) of popular mud runs, but without the testosterone-laden douchebros. There are 5 races throughout the country, with more being added to the calendar each year. Each one of them provides a unique obstacle course and a memorable, muddy experience for women. The best part? Your run helps other women, too – a portion of the proceeds from each race go to gynecological cancer research in each event community!

I was excited to be invited to the Kiss Me Dirty race in Tucson, Arizona. The race falls on my birthday (March 24), and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate than finally crossing “mud run” off my bucket list with three of my closest girlfriends. We’re going to take on the course together, celebrating at the finish with chest-bumps, grunts, and beer.

Who says cavemen get to have all the fun?

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Kiss Me Dirty wants to invite you to participate in a race, too! Enter the coupon code HelloGiggles for a $5 discount on any race when you register!

Susan Lacke does 5Ks, Ironman Triathlons, and everything in between to justify her love for cupcakes (yes, she eats that many). In addition to authoring "Boob Sweat" on HelloGiggles, she is a featured columnist for Competitor Magazine and NoMeatAthlete.com. You can find all her work in her own little corner of the World Wide Web: www.SusanLacke.com.

http://www.facebook.com/hayley.bergan Hayley Bergan

I did a Mud Run a while ago with the Navy command I was stationed with. It was mandatory but I ended up having a lot of fun. It would be even better to not have to deal with my really stupid coworkers who think it’s hilarious to pick me up and throw me in the mud. I’ll definitely do this if they decide to do a San Diego date!

http://www.facebook.com/danessa.gray D.k. Gray

This looks really fun! I am getting ready for the Warrior Dash in May! I will look into these as well!

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